Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-10
TUE TARIFF.

the OCCup(flulS OF tue pCOplt. Inc otHVl
day the REGIsTEE published the views Of
some LEADING Southern DtmOCruticj jour
nails On this question. Below the views
OF leading Northwestern Republicans ore
presented Tn the revenue question in
volyed in tamil revision and reduction OF
internal taxes, quoting the opinions OF the
Chicago Tr,Luar and the st. Paul Pioneer
Pres, which probably speak for alarger
number OF Republicans than any two
journals in the West.
The Chicago Tribune has no faith in
the treasury plan Of bond purchases, and
says:
The one thing needlUl ~ not the Pur-
chase at An enormous premium OF undue
government hmds which draw a low draft
ofinterest, but tostup picking the pockets
OF the people. These same taX-ridden
people have t. pay On au average nearly
twi ice the rate Of interest for their loans,
even on good security, that the govern
meat pays. Tbe surplus should be kept
Out-not 20 ut. The best prescription
for an ovsrted system isa frugal diet.
Dosing with drugs and bleeding and all
the time S%tufiug with rich food Is the
direct road To death.
The Tiribaa, argues Tor q radical reduC-
tion in the tariff:
The people whom they represent, instead
of being sharerS in the spOlls OF a monoPo-
listic tariff, are consumers of manufactured
articles. The western farmer has nothing
to gain and a great deal to lose by eNorbi-
tant duties. His corn, wheat, pork, beef,
oats and other marketable products are
not protected and made more profitable by
anv tirltL. Practically there Is tree tgade
in farm products and war duties ON farm
consumption. 4 more one-sided arrange
ment can hardly be conceived. Take Tor
example wool lud wOolrns. The sheep
raiseTs are urged to keep uy the old tariff
rates by the assurance that il the leuce Is
let down ut all the wool duties will be- re-
moved. They are advised To submit 10 the
wooden duties and all other duties rather
than suffer a cut in wool. Does
the present price OF this ar
ticle Justify the claim that the
tariff insures a good price for tleeceS. On
the contrary, those farmers who grow sheep
are finding Out by experience that the
wool tariff is a drluSiOn and a snare. Sta
tistics show, too, that the division OF
SPOTS is pscunLtrIly unfair. Last year the
tariff receipts from the duties TN wool
amounted to S27, l26, los, while those on
woolens foot up S2T, 27S,52T. In other
words, the manufacturers got nearly 81 to
the farmers 81. Nor Is that either all or
the worst. Besides imposing a tax Of this
magnitude on imported w~OOlens, there Is
the tar greater indirect, but no less burden
some bounty on domestic wooden goods,
through the enhanced cost of the same to
the consumers.
And then it dives into arithmetic to
prove that in order to procure S27, 600, 900
OF unnecessary revenue on impOrted wOolenS
there is to be added about $2OO, 600, OOO a
a year to the costs OF the WOODEN clothing OF
the American people. Aud this is called
protection" The Tribune concludes:
Again We ask our Western Congressman
to 90 to Washington this winter, many OF
them for the first time, determined to AT
ford their constituents relief from the out
rageOuS tariff cNtOrtion which Is blanket
ing the farms ct the West with mortgages,
~ we'll ~ filling the treasury of the
United States with u surplus which is lie
ranging the money market TO the verge OF
panic.
The st. Paul Pioneer Press also has no
faith in the bond redemption plan OF get
ting the surplus out of the treasury
vaults; does not believe the present gene
ration will assume the whole burden of
paying the public dent, but will be con
tent with the Requirements OF the sinking
fund. This leaves 800, coo, COO OF surplus
that should he swept away" How?
The Pioneer Press proceeds to explain:
The people, as ! whole, are unaltcrably
opposed to the proposal 20 wipe out excess
i've revenue by ahnlIshiny taxes CnluNurieS.
OF all our taxes, nOne ue 80 admirable in
every respect a. those levied Gu whisky ,
and tobacco. They are paid voluntarily. !
Their repeal would benefit dealers exclu |
Siyely aud not usum They should
remain exactly where they are. Where, |
then, shall the necessary reduction OF tax
alton iallg A full consideration Of this all /
important question, which Is to decide the
fate of men and parties, will not he at
tempted here. Hut there are a few facts
which the public might well consider.
Here are the estimated duties exacted in
1867 on imports of commodities most
largely consumed by the people.